Richmond need changes: Hardwick

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has signalled an overhaul of his side after a disappointing 70-point thrashing at the hands of North Melbourne.

Coming off a three-game winning streak the Tigers might have felt they had turned a corner in form but that idea was quickly erased at Bellerive Oval on Friday night when the Kangaroos ran away winners 18.16 (124) to 7.12 (54).

“They blitzed us early and we didn’t stand up to their pressure,” Hardwick told reporters after the game, comparing his side to a bunch of “schoolboys”.

“It felt like the game was sort of over at quarter time.”

The Tigers lost four players to injury but Hardwick said that is no excuse for the repeated ball fumbling and inability to win either the contested ball or tackle.

“We got obliterated in both – (we were) never going to win,” the coach said.

Richmond’s recent form has been okay without being great and the side will reconsider its approach ahead of next round against Gold Coast, Hardwick added.

“We’ve got to make a few changes obviously because it was nowhere near good enough.

“We’ve got some emerging young talent that we might have a look at this week because the situation is, if you play like that I can’t pick the same side.”

Despite the thrashing there were some admirable efforts among the Tigers line up.